Note: Image above is a rendering that shows what we think an official Ram 1500 Hellcat would look like.

Shortly after Dodge released the Hellcat versions of the Charger and Challenger, we put together a rendering of a Hellcat-powered Ram 1500. The idea was tantalizing: 707 horsepower in a lowered pickup with the attitude and presence of the Viper-powered Dodge Ram SRT10. Sadly FCA has been rather coy on the idea of a HellRam… or HellHauler? It seems all hope is lost.

But one Ram enthusiast fabricated his own hope; he had his local Canadian Ram dealership build one. Yes, a man from Ontario built the first known Hellcat-powered Ram 1500. Road & Track reports the Midland Chrysler purchased a Hellcat crate engine from a dealership in South Carolina for the steep price of $45,000.

The dealership then went to work replacing the Ram’s stock drivetrain with the supercharged Hemi and beefed-up ZF eight-speed automatic. What’s more, the dealership integrated the pickup’s stock 4WD system, making this the first 4WD Hellcat ever. (Save for the one Jeep is currently developing.)

This was no plug-n-play engine swap, however. Technicians have been working since November of 2015 to shoehorn the 6.2-liter V-8 into the Ram 1500’s engine bay. Because of the tall supercharger, a body lift had to be added for clearance. This currently has the truck looking like an off-roader, but future plans including a suspension lowering kit.

And with any proper build, all the conventional components in the Ram still work, including HVAC, the radio, all the gauges, and other electronic gadgets. While this was technically a one-off build, Midland Chrysler says it’s already had plenty of requests for similar builds. According to R&T, Midland’s general manager says an identical Hellcat-powered Ram would cost around $90,000 out the door. That ain’t cheap, but 707 horsepower with 4WD ain’t slow, either.

Continue reading for more information.

Why It Matters

The Hellcat engine and the branding surrounding this high-horse engine remains at fever pitch. Folks are clamoring to Dodge dealerships for both the Charger and Challenger Hellcats as fast as Dodge can build them. In fact, that’s why the Hellcat crate engine was so expensive. Dodge simply quit offering the crate engine package to keep its steady supply of engines for production cars. Folks wanting to buy a crate Hellcat either have to find one of the very early crate engine packages (which are surely all spoken for) or have to settle for the powertrain from a wrecked Charger or Challenger. Even still, finding a working Hellcat engine with all its necessary and complicated electronic controllers in a salvage yard is nearly impossible.

Nevertheless, this goes to show the popularity of the powertrain and the yearning for more Hellcat-powered production vehicles. Thankfully Jeep is answering the call with its upcoming Grand Cherokee Trackhawk – a Hellcat-powered SUV with AWD and performance credentials far beyond any Grand Cherokee SRT8 could dream of.

Sadly though, FCA will likely never build a Hellcat-powered Ram. Perhaps it’s a bit too impractical, even for the company that builds the Viper. Thankfully, there’s always the aftermarket industry looking to build the next craziest thing.